


Life on Mars

by AnnaBliss13



Category: Fargo (TV)
Genre: Engagement, First time writing Fargo, I can't tag I'm sorry, Implied Violence, It's Fargo so there violence, It's an AU, Multi, Pregnancy, but it was a very vivid dream that was compelling to write so
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-12-10 22:23:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11701068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaBliss13/pseuds/AnnaBliss13
Summary: There was a small fishing town, a run of the mill New England port destination, where nothing ever happened. There were no tourists, seeing as it was not as artistic as Rockport or as glamorous as Martha’s Vineyard, so in turn that meant little to no activity. All the town had was a small docking area for the boats to come in, a small coastal beach, a few houses and businesses, and a diner.-Fargo AU set in modern day and combines multiple seasons (though draws mostly from season three)





	Life on Mars

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing Fargo so who knows if this sucks or not  
> Playlist for story: https://playmoss.com/en/anna-bliss/playlist/life-on-mars-a-fargo-au

There was a small fishing town, a run of the mill New England port destination, where nothing ever happened. There were no tourists, seeing as it was not as artistic as Rockport or as glamorous as Martha’s Vineyard, so in turn that meant little to no activity. All the town had was a small docking area for the boats to come in, a small coastal beach, a few houses and businesses, and a diner.  
Gloria had been living in this place all of her life, and frankly, felt just as boring and abandoned as the town itself had become to her and the world over the years. Her husband, Ron, had left a few years back to go out west, and live the pioneer life with his partner, Dale. Nathan, their son, was to stay with her for the majority of his time, and visit his father around the holidays and for a few weeks in summer.  
With staying in one town for your whole life comes ups and downs. She knew most everyone she saw in the streets, and everyone knew her too. It was the kind of town where others were a bit too welcoming for the world, and Gloria had a feeling it might come back to bite the community at some point. There wasn’t even much need for police, aside from your occasional spook or missing animal.  
Another perk was that whenever she went to the diner, after a patrol shift or just bringing Nathan for dinner after a rough day, they knew her order before she even sat down. As was the current case.  
“Gloria! Still want a lobster roll with slaw, fries, and a coke?” Her cousin, Nikki, asked as she approached the table.  
“I think I’ll switch it up, and take an Arnold Palmer for today.”  
Though Gloria was several years older than her, Nikki had been by Gloria’s side a lot in their younger years. Gloria’s aunt and uncle hadn’t been the most caring, and both had died of overdoses before poor Nikki even finished school. For this reason, Nikki adopted the habit of being a lot more outgoing than her older cousin. She was loud, brash, and knew how to get what she wanted out of a world that continuously fucked her over. This behavior, however, was also part of the reason why they weren’t as close as they had been when they were kids. Sure, she would always see her waitressing here, and occasionally they would sit down over pie, but they never interacted much more than that. Which is why she wasn’t aware of the fact Nikki just informed her of.  
“Wow, you really are marrying him then? That’s great, Nik, I know how excited you must be.” She replied, still somewhat in her own head space.  
Nikki had been dating a fella by the name of Ray Stussy for as long as Gloria could remember. He and his brother, Emmit, moved into town during the end of Nikki’s high school years, but he had been out for years by the time she turned 18. But no, the twelve year age difference didn’t sway Nikki’s attraction, and they fell for each other faster than Gloria could blink. She, of course, was doubtful of the pair, and had often tried to convince her cousin she deserved better than slumming it with a potbellied, unemployed man like Ray had been.  
“Nik, he’s just so much older than ya’, and it just concerns me is all. Him and his brother, just moved here a few years back, and it’s not like he can provide much for ya’.” She had warned. This was the final part of the rift that tore them apart. Though despite all the criticism and controversy, they had somehow made it work. Staying together throughout the years, as Ray became a lead part of the trading and canning company his brother founded, and Nikki took on shifts at the diner. And now here they were.  
“Well anyways, I’m having my bachelorette party on my thirty third birthday in a few weeks, you know to make it easier and all. You should come.” Nikki said, snapping Gloria back to reality as she brought over her and Nathan’s meals. “And the date itself isn’t for a couple of months, but obviously, you two are invited.”  
“Sounds great Nikki, truly. I’m really happy for you.” Gloria told her, Nathan remaining quiet.  
“Thanks, cous. Alright well, I gotta go serve the Patterson’s their food before they die of old age, but let me know if ya’ need anything.” She said, walking away.  
Nathan turned to his food, and began to slowing eat it.  
“Well that’ll be fun, won’t it? Your cousin’s wedding, getting a fancy suit, and have some fun on the dance floor.” Gloria tried to ask him. He never actually made the effort to try connecting with her.  
“Well, technically, she’s your cousin, Ma’, and none of us are really that close. Why do we even have to go?”  
“Because she’s family, hun. And because believe it or not, we were close once, and I’d like to hope we will be again.”  
-  
“Hun, I’m home!” Nikki said as she walked through the door of her and her fiance's apartment.  
“Babe, you shoulda’ told me your shift was ending, I would have grabbed ya’.” Ray told her, as he appeared in the doorway of their room.  
“Don’t be ridiculous, it’s like three streets from here. Walking is fine.” She replied. “Besides, I had to grab something from the corner store.”  
“Yeah, I know. I just get worried is all. Especially since you told me.” He started, but trailed off as he went to embrace her in a hug. Then quickly pulled away. “Was that too tight for it?”  
“Ray, I would hope our kid is tougher than a hug can crush.” Nikki laughed, as he laughed flusteredly.  
“Oh, right.”  
He had been growing increasingly anxious ever since she told him she was pregnant a few weeks ago. She had known for a little more than a month now, and didn’t delay telling him in the following days. After all, they loved each other, and now they just had to extend that love. They did decide, however, it would be best not to share the information with anyone for the time being. It was still too early along.  
“How was work? Things gettin’ any better between you and Sy?” Nikki asked him, as she sat down on the couch. Ray grabbed a beer for himself from the fridge, and grabbed some iced tea for her. He sighed before flopping down on the couch next to her.  
“He’s still not budging his opinion that I’m going to screw up some sorta dealing for the business.”  
“That doesn’t give him reason to hate ya’.”  
“It’s Sy, when does he listen to reason. He relies solely on gut feeling. Or jealously. ”  
“Hun, don’t be silly. It’s obviously both.”  
-  
“Okay then, so we’ll meet tomorrow. Great talking with ya’.” Sy said, when he hung up the phone. He quickly exited his office, and walked across the work floor to reach Emmit’s. Once inside, he sat down on the couch, and put his head in his hands.  
“Did you call them?” His partner asked from behind his desk.  
“You bet I did. Who do they think they are? Coming to town and buying up businesses, for what? Nefarious purposes, I’m sure of it!”  
“Well Sy, how can you be so-”  
“Emmit! You gotta think logically here! They show up outta nowhere, offer everyone around us a hot sum of cash to hightail it outta town, well, one’s gotta wonder what they’re up to.”  
“And what exactly do you think their doing. Slave girls?”  
“No, Jesus, but it could be worse. Maybe it’s drugs, and they need the ports to ensure safe international travel! For Pete’s sake, I don’t know! But no way in hell are they getting this company. They’ll have to rip it from our hands bef-”  
“Sy.” Emmit began slowly, trying to calm his business partner. He moved around the desk, and paced around the room. “Look, we’re gonna be okay. You’ll go to the meeting tomorrow, tell them we aren’t interested in selling or a partnership, and we’ll go back to the way it was before.”  
“But this company, Narwhal, they don’t seem like the type to-”  
“Sy. If I’m being honest here, and you know I wouldn’t lie to ya’, I think you’re just being a bit paranoid here. Like you were when Ray first came to work for us.”  
“Now don’t- now look I’m not going to start something, but I’m still weary of your brother. It’s just fishy to me that-”  
“Sy, ya’ need to stop talking like this. It’s gonna get you stuck in a place you don’t want to be. Just meet with the people they send to the diner tomorrow, and we’ll call it a day.”  
“Fine, just don’t expect me to be upset when saying “I told you so”.”  
-  
The next day flew by, until it was finally time for Sy to meet with the Narwhal company members. He was still very hesitant, though he was doing his best to not let it to show. Walking out of his car, he straightened his shoulders, put on his business face, and marched up to the diner doors, promptly walking inside. There were only three tables full, and seeing as he recognized two pairs as regulars here, he walked over to the booth with two men. One in a red jacket, and one in a letterman’s.  
“You fellas the ones I’m supposta’ be meeting with? From Narwhal?”  
“Yes. And you are Sy Feltz? Partner at Stussy Fishing Company?” Answered the letterman’s jacket, in a thick German accent.  
“You’re right there.” He chuckled nervously. “And can I get your names?”  
“Do you know why we’re here Sy?”  
“To talk about our businesses?”  
“Sy, we’re here to ask for your corporation. Either you’re going to take our offer for your business, or we’re going to have some trouble. Do you understand?”  
“Well, fellas, I can’t say I d-”  
It was at that moment their waitress walked over.  
“Hey Sy, what are you doing here?” Nikki asked, as civil as possible considering her discontent for the man.  
“Oh, you know, just talking business and the like.” He answered quick, eager to get her out of there.  
“Without Emmit or Ray?” She fired back at him, just as eager to get information outta him as the men across from him.  
They also decided to speak up in that moment.  
“And who is this exactly?” Letterman asked towards Sy.  
“Well, darlin’, you could just ask me yourself. I’m Nikki, and I’ll be your server today. What can I get for ya’?”  
“I’ll take Vodka, and my friend here will have the same.”  
“Is Pepsi okay?” Nikki replied with her usual tongue.  
“Jesus, can’t she just say they don’t have it.” Sy thought to himself. “She’s gonna get us both into trouble at the rate things are going.”  
The letterman said something is German, and the oriental man in red chuckled beside him, before replying. “Pepsi is fine for now.”  
“Alright then. Sy?” Nikki asked, still curious.  
“I’ll just take some coffee.”  
“Okay, I’ll go grab those for ya’.”  
The men watch her walk away before turning back to Sy.  
“Now, who was she. Business wise.”  
“It’s just Ray’s fiancee. They’ve been together since she was in high school. Nothing to worry about. But back to our previous topic, you look here fellas, we have no intent to sell or make a deal with anyone, let alone those who mean to threaten our community. I’ve already talked out possibilities with my partners, and we’ve all said no to selling. So I don’t care what you’re offering, we’re not taking it.”  
The men chuckled again, this time more menacing than before, and Nikki reappeared with the tables drinks. However, with a few bills thrown down to the table, the men got up and began to leave. The letterman stopped in the doorway before they left, and turned.  
“Be careful, my friend. You don’t seem to know what consequences your actions have.”  
-  
Nikki got off work at 10 that night, and despite Ray’s constant worrying, decided to walk home. It was honestly just a waste of gas and time to haul the old Corvette down a couple of streets. She locked up the diner, and said goodbye to the cook, Ed.  
As she began walking back to the apartment however, she noticed something was off. It wasn’t anything huge, and in fact, it was most likely just her being paranoid from the odd encounter with Sy earlier. There was usually a street lamp lit at the end of every street on the way home, but tonight, one in particular had flickered off. It was at the end of the street with the alley between the beach and the main road, which Nikki was currently approaching. Just in case, she reached to grab the swiss army knife from her purse.  
She was half way through crossing the alley entrance when a car pulled up beside her, and the window rolled down.  
“Do you need a ride?” It was the oriental fella from earlier.  
“No thanks, I’m all set. My fiance is going to grab me the next street up, and we’re going to visit some family.” She spat out as a quick excuse, confident in her words nonetheless.  
“This late at night?” She saw a couple sitting on their porch on the opposite side of the road. The Pattersons, thank god. No one would dare try anything with witnesses across the street.  
“They’re from outta town. Late night drive means early morning arrival.” She continued lying through her teeth.  
“How long do you intend to stay with these relatives?”  
“Someone’s awfully curious.”  
“No more than you were earlier.” Nikki rolled her eyes, and decided it was time to get the hell outta dodge.  
“Right well I best be go-” She didn’t get to finish her exit, as a hand grabbed her mouth from behind.  
“Of fucking course.” She thought. As she began to get pulled backwards, she started fighting. Hard. Pulling out the knife she had, she began to swing it behind her frantically, desperately trying to make contact with anything. She felt the knife slash through something, and her attacker hissed in pain, letting her go for a moment. She ran back up the alley, only to see the man in red on the Patterson’s doorstep cleaning a handgun, their blood splattered, and a silencer still placed on the weapon.  
“Christ almighty, what the fu-” She thought before being grabbed from behind once again, this time a gun placed on her neck.  
“One wrong move, and there’ll be a bullet in that pretty face of yours.” She heard in a familiar German accent. “And we wouldn’t want that, would we?”  
As she started to get dragged back into the alley, she saw several men with animal masks on approaching the Patterson's’ house, and the oriental coming back towards the alley. All she could think was, “Ray, what has your brother gotten us into.”  
-  
Emmit woke up the next morning with forty five missed calls, over a hundred texts, and too many alerts to count about what had happened.  
Last night, at approximately ten, there was an attack on the corner of Harvest and Radford. Three victims, two deceased, were found this morning. The living, a female, was washed up on the shore of the beach at the end of the alley. The other two were drifting with the motion of the waves, floating closer to the private, residential docks than the beach itself. The victims names had not yet been released to the public and searching press, though considering the circumstances, were revealed to him.  
It was Stella ironically, who had found them, while she was out on her morning run down along the waterfront. It was only fitting it seemed, that his wife was the one to find Ray’s soon to be bride laying half dead on the water’s edge, and her patients from her nursing practice bobbing dead in the icy water.  
Upon hearing her screaming, the neighbors from the houses along the water called the police, who arrived faster than they’d ever needed to. Chief Dammick was quick to go into emergency mode, and order a barrier be set up on the perimeter. Nothing like this had happened before.  
-  
Gloria got a call to head down to the beach on the scanner, and though the person did not say what it was, from the tone it was something far more serious than the town was used to. When she got there, however, the Chief tried his best to keep her out of the scene.  
“Chief, what’s going on? I can help.”  
“No way Burgle, not this case. It’ll get too personal for you.” She rolled her eyes, and continued.  
“Chief, whatever it is I’m sure I can handle it.” Moe starred, and reluctantly sighed. He, like her, was raised here, and knew what this was going to be to Gloria.  
“It’s a lot to take in. If you really want to go in, just know that.”  
Walking down towards the beach, the people she saw every day were giving her pitiful looks, but she didn’t realize why until she got to the sand.  
Along with the two cadavers being pulled from the water by the rescue unit, was her cousin, laying on the sand as a first response team treated to the wounds they could. She faintly heard an ambulance siren in the distance, but the nearest hospital was a couple of towns over.  
As she ran towards Nikki, lying there beaten, all she could think of was how miniscule the issues their separation had been for were. If she just put some faith in her, just knew that she could make a decision for herself, maybe they wouldn’t have fought so much. Maybe they would be closer. Maybe she wouldn’t be lying half dead on a beach right now.  
“What’s happened?” Gloria yelled towards Moe, finishing her run towards her cousin and squatting down.  
“We’re still trying to figure that out. In the meantime, we’ve called for paramedics for her, and the team is collecting to others from the water. You ask me, and I think there’s more to this than just simple homicides and attack.”  
“Jesus Christ. Does Ray know?”  
“We’ve contacted Emmit, and he’ll bring him to meet us at the hospital.”  
“Us?”  
“Someone’s gotta get information outta her when she wakes up. Might as well be someone she trusts.”  
-  
“Emmit, what are ya’ sayin’?” Ray asked, terrified of his brother’s answer.  
“I’m saying we need to head to the hospital, right now. We’ll figure it out from there.” Emmit replied, opening the door of Ray and Nikki’s apartment before shuffling his horrified brother out to the car.  
The pair sat in saddened silence the majority of the ride. That is, until Ray started talking, mostly to comfort himself by hearing a voice.  
“We were expecting ya’ know, Nik and I. Couple a months along, not long enough to announce anything. We were planning on waitin’ until after the wedding, or as soon as she started showin’. Do you think it..Do you think she-”  
“Ray, it’s probably best to wait until we see how she is before discussing things. The mind will play tricks when it’s scared.” Emmit explained, trying his best to stay calm. Lord,-  
“How did this happen? Who woulda’ done something like this? It must’ve taken a, a monster.” Took the words right out of his mind.  
“Ray, please try to stay calm. I know how hard this must be for you. But when you get there, you’re going to need to stay calm. For Nikki’s sake, you’re going to need to be strong.”  
“You’re right, I know you’re right, but for God’s sake, it’s just so hard.” Ray sighed, tears still in his eyes.  
“Okay, how about we get you’re mind off of it. Yesterday, Sy had that meeting with the fellas from Narwhal, about them buying the business and all. And he told em’ not in a million years would we sell our company.”  
Ray just took another deep breath, and stayed quiet, looking out the window until they finally arrived at the hospital. He jumped out of the car as soon as it was parked, and ran into the front lobby, Emmit trailing after him.  
The nurse behind the desk was bewildered at the state of them when them entered, but still managed to stumble out a “how can I help you?”  
“My fiancee, she was- there was a -” Ray tried to explain, before Emmit cut him off.  
“We’re the family of Nikki Swango.  
The nurse’s eyes got even wider, if possible, and looked down rapidly at her screen, typing away.  
“She’s in room 296, but is currently in surgery. Do you need me to bring you there?”  
“No, we should be all set. Thank you.” Emmit answered, Ray still stunned that this was happening.  
-  
In the two hours it had been since the 911 call, and the following hour since the news spread, an ensuing chaos grew throughout the town. Rumors flying as occupants’ fear heightened, the news providing no new information. The town found out about the Patterson’s deaths first, noting the police tape around the beach had extended to their front porch, and from there assumed they were the two swimming with the fishes. It was a tragedy really, considering their impact on the community over the years. The other identity, that of the living victim, was still virtually unknown, the police keeping their silence.  
That is, until the regulars of the Blumquist diner noted a particular waitress was missing from her typical Saturday morning shift. One that she’s had for the past several years, and rarely ever missed. And that’s how the rumor mill picked up full throttle.  
Instead going straight to the hospital, Gloria knew she had to beat the chain of gossip to Nathan. He had been on his way to breakfast with his friends last she heard. And that was what led her to rush into the diner.  
Luckily, she looked composed enough physically, but her fast entrance did not help her cause. The daily church crowd at the bar whispered fiercely to each other as she walked over to Nathan’s booth. Leaning down over the table, she braced herself, and gingerly began.  
“Nathan, I need you to come with me. Don’t worry about your food, I’ll leave a few bucks on the table, just please, come out to the car.” Gloria said, quiet enough that the churchies wouldn’t listen in. Nathan’s face changed throughout the course of her sentence, from confusion to panic.  
“It’s true, isn’t it? It was cousin Nikki.” He stated, equally as quiet, probably from fear more so than security purposes. Gloria blinked back tears she didn’t know had formed, and sighed.  
“We need to leave. Come on.” She said, throwing money on the table as he left his seat and walked towards the squad car.  
-  
They were all in room 296 later that morning, waiting for her to wake up from her surgery. The doctor had told them what had happened to her. Broken ribs, internal bleeding (just on the cusp of being too much), and some sprains in her limbs. She was lucky, he had said, and then had asked for the fiance to come with him for a moment.  
Emmit knew almost immediately what was said to Ray after watching his brother nearly collasp in the hall through the glass, and then was confirmed by the way he had reentered the room. More tears than before, he walked over to Nikki’s bedside, and picked up her hand gently, bringing it to his lips before cradling it near his heart. He didn’t utter a word.  
-  
“Hide in the shadows, stay out of the law’s way, get the business, what part of this plan was not clear to your boys?”  
“They knew the mission very clearly, and seeing as Stussy’s partner said no to the clean offer, followed up with our own.”  
“Great plan of yours. Go after the one person in the fucking business with an officer as a relative.”  
“If you have a problem with the way I-”  
“Don’t get overly cocky, remember who the boss is here. I hired you to get one thing for me and my corporation, not to create a media frenzy and panic in the middle of a fishing town. If you want your money, I suggest you fix this.”  
“Understood.”  
-  
By the end of the investigation’s first day, little information had been found. The weapon used to shoot the Pattersons was placed on the porch, in plain site, however, cleared of all prints. Whoever had done this certainly made sure not to leave any incriminating DNA behind, and the gun felt like a slap to the face for Gloria. The only true clue and certainly only witness to this horrific event was still sleeping in her hospital bed.  
Information had officially been released to the press at this point, and the calls of love, prayer, and support came flooding into the family members phones. Not that anyone cared, letting them buzz away as they tried to figure out how they all ended up in this room.  
Gloria, Nathan, Emmit, Stella, their daughter, Sy, and Ray. All just sitting, waiting, as the day went on, fading into night, without even the smallest move. Eventually, they began to trickle out, going home to shower and sleep, with promises of returning in the morning, until it was only Gloria, Nathan, and Ray. And of course Nikki, poor sweet Nikki.  
Gloria sat next to Nathan, and just looked on as Ray dotted her cousin with sweet nothings and promises that everything was going to be okay. It wasn’t until Nathan turned to her, gently tapping her shoulder, that she finally looked away from the scene that had consumed her day.  
“Yeah hun?” Gloria asked, weariness evident in her voice, along with the tiredness showing on all of them.  
“What are you gonna do when you find who did this, Ma’?”  
It was Ray who answered him, from the other half of the room, something deeper evident in his voice than Gloria’s own.  
“Raise holy hell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda hesitant about posting this, so feedback is appreciated


End file.
